Morro Bay

Morro Bay (population 10,000) is in San Luis Obispo County in the Central Coast region of California. The town is best known for the massive 581-foot (177-m) volcanic rock at the entrance to the harbour.

By car
Morro Bay is a 15-minute drive from San Luis Obispo, 2½ hours from Fresno or Bakersfield, and 4 hours from Los Angeles or San Francisco.

By plane
The nearest airport is in San Luis Obispo, with a range of departures to western hubs. Take the SLO Transit bus downtown and then transfer to RTA route 12.

By bus
San Luis Obispo Regional Transit Authority offers countywide bus service. Take Route 12 from San Luis Obispo or Los Osos, or Route 15 from Cambria and San Simeon.

By train
The nearest train station is in San Luis Obispo, with Amtrak service on the Coast Starlight and Pacific Surfliner. To reach Morro Bay, take the SLO Transit bus downtown and then transfer to RTA Route 12.

By foot
Morro Bay can be traveled on foot, especially if staying in the central part of town.

By car
Car travel is easy in Morro Bay, though parking may be challenging on weekends and in the summer.

See

 * Temporarily closed due to COVID 19.

Do
The Embarcadero is the main tourist area and lines the east side of the bay. It is a great walking experience along a working port and eco-tourist destination. A variety of marine life is here, from sea otters to sea lions, and the town is a declared bird sanctuary. Excellent deep sea fishing originates at the north end of the Embarcadero. A public park and boat launch are at the south end. RVs and mobile homes may day-park at either end. There is a giant chess board in the middle of Embarcadero Rd.

Popular surfing locations are to the north on easy access beach from free public parking and across the harbor entry to the north end of the sand spit that forms the west edge of the bay.

You can rent a kayak and explore the south part of the bay, which is one of the larger estuaries on the west coast. A favorite local tradition is to kayak from Morro Bay State Park or Embarcadero docks to the massive sand spit for a picnic.

To the north of town is the Morro Strand State beach which offers additional surfing possibilities and many locals with their dogs in a fairly open uncrowded setting. To the south of the town is Morro Bay State Park which includes an impressive public golf course set in pines on challenging hillsides with amazing views to the ocean and bay. A renovated public campground is available.

Buy
Shops cater to the tourist trade with art, t-shirts and the like.

Eat

 * Dutchman's, 701 Embarcadero STE E, . Waterfront seafood staple known for clam chowder, fish 'n' chips & sanddabs (a flatfish).
 * Dutchman's, 701 Embarcadero STE E, . Waterfront seafood staple known for clam chowder, fish 'n' chips & sanddabs (a flatfish).
 * Dutchman's, 701 Embarcadero STE E, . Waterfront seafood staple known for clam chowder, fish 'n' chips & sanddabs (a flatfish).
 * Dutchman's, 701 Embarcadero STE E, . Waterfront seafood staple known for clam chowder, fish 'n' chips & sanddabs (a flatfish).
 * Dutchman's, 701 Embarcadero STE E, . Waterfront seafood staple known for clam chowder, fish 'n' chips & sanddabs (a flatfish).
 * Dutchman's, 701 Embarcadero STE E, . Waterfront seafood staple known for clam chowder, fish 'n' chips & sanddabs (a flatfish).

Drink

 * Libertine Pub: Live music and nice place.

Go next

 * Cambria - 20 miles north on Highway One, Cambria offers visitors Moonstone Beach, home to tide pools and the semi-precious stones that give the beach its name. The town also offers an abundance of inns and hotels for those seeking a quiet weekend away.
 * Los Osos is south of Morro Bay, a little way off Highway 1 and closer than San Luis Obispo.
 * San Luis Obispo - 14 miles southeast of Morro Bay and almost exactly half way between Los Angeles and San Francisco, this small college town and its neighboring communities boast extraordinary resources for hiking, mountain biking, sea kayaking, swimming and surfing, outstanding natural beauty, a carefully preserved and thriving 19th-century downtown centered around a meticulously restored 18th century mission, a small but thriving art gallery scene, and a large and growing collection of top-quality wineries.
 * Atascadero - 18 miles to the northeast of Morro Bay, this town was founded in 1913 as a planned utopian colony, complete with an Italian Renaissance-style town hall surrounded by an expansive sunken gardens. The town hall and gardens remain today, and have been joined by the tiny Charles Paddock Zoo, home to 45 species including a pair of red pandas, Malayan tiger, and lemurs.